Vacuum cleaner



April 1969 J. A. RUZZIER 3,438,081

VACUUM CLEANER Filed July 7, 1967 Sheet of 4 71 is 20 21 g. J4 i6 70 g/69 66 3 J2 2g 2g J. A. RUZZIER VACUUM CLEANER April 15, 1969 Filed July'7, 1967 J. A. RUZZIER VACUUM CLEANER Filed Ju y 1967 DRAPES G FLOO 5 I29 62 32 ill 35 Jr 67 Q' J0 flnveili fill gie 25" United States PatentOfi ice 3,438,081 Patented Apr. 15, 1969 3,438,081 VACUUM CLEANER JohnA. Ruzzier, Berwyn, 111., assignor to Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago,I11., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 7, 1967, Ser. No. 651,789Int. Cl. A471 /36 US. Cl. 15-327 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Thecanister vacuum cleaner has a molded plastic hinge member overlying thecover. A motor-blower unit is mounted on the underside of the coverbeneath the hinge member and is exhausted through openings in the coverand hinge member. A switch is also mounted on the underside of the coverand its foot operated button for controlling the motor-blower unit isaccessible through aligned openings in the cover and binge member. Thehinge member also houses selector means for varying the vacuum availableat the air hose and also a vacuum bag fill indicator. The selector meansand bag fill indicator are constructed from flexible polypropylene toprovide integral hinge connections for their moving parts, Flexiblepolypropylene hinge connections are also used for the air hose latchesat the air inlet and the latch release button for the cover.

This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to animproved canister-type vacuum cleaner.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved, low cost, andcompact canister-type vacuum cleaner.

In the invention the vacuum cleaner comprises a bottom pan-shaped shelland a top cover therefor. The cover and shell are hinged together by apair of hinged molded plastic hinge members. The top hinge member, whichis connected to the cover provides a housing for selector means forvarying the amount of suction available at the air hose of the vacuumcleaner and also a housing for a vacuum bag indicator means forindicating the fill condition of the vacuum cleaner bag. Themotor-blower unit of the vacuum cleaner is mounted on the underside ofthe cover and depends therefrom into the shell. The motor-blower unit isexhausted to the atmosphere through openings formed in the cover and thetop hinge member. Aligned openings are also formed in the cover and tophinge member to expose a foot operated button for purposes of actuatinga control switch for the motor-blower unit. The selector means and bagindicator each comprise a semi-cylindrical member having a valve elementconnected thereto. The valve elements operate in openings formed in thecover. These semi-cylindrical members and valve elements are constructedfrom flexible polypropylene and are connected together by integral hingeportions. On the other side of the vacuum cleaner a pair of top andbottom cover and shell mounted plastic members are provided which serveas a handle for the vacuum cleaner and an air inlet for the vacuumcleaner, respectively. These two members are likewise constructed fromflexible polypropylene and have integral flexible air hose latches andcover release button means formed thereon.

The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are setforth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself,however, both as to its organization and operation, together withfurther objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying four sheets of drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a canister-type vacuum cleaner utilizingmy invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the section line 22 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the vacuum cleaner when the cover is laidopen;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the section line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view similar to that of the left hand of FIG. 2and in addition showing an air hose connected thereto;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the top hinge member of thevacuum cleaner;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the section line 7--7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged top plan view of the top hinge member to bettershow the vacuum selector and bag fill indicator means of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the section line 99 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the integral two element flexiblepolypropylene vacuum selector means housed in the top hinge member; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the integral two element flexiblepolypropylene bag indicator means housed in the top hinge member.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, illustrated therein is avacuum cleaner having a bottom pan-type shell 10 closed by a top cover11. The cover 11 is hinged to shell 10 by a pair of top and bottommolded plastic hinge members 12 and 13, respectively. The hinge members12 and 13 are located at the rear side of the vacuum cleaner. At thefront side of the vacuum cleaner a pair of top and bottom molded plasticmembers 14 and 15 are connected to the cover 11 and pan 10,respectively. As will be more clear hereinafter, the top member 14provides a handle 16 for carrying the vacuum cleaner about. The bottommember 15 provides a hose connector on the air inlet side of the vacuumcleaner for purposes of connecting a vacuum cleaner hose 17 thereto inthe manner illustrated in FIG. 5 which will be described in greaterdetail hereinafter. The top and bottom members 14 and 15 also includestructure, to be described hereinafter, for releasably latching thecover 11 closed on the shell 10. The cover 11 is unlatched by depressinga release latch button 18 which is integrally formed with the topplastic member 14.

A foot operated button 19 protrudes up through the top hinge member 12for purposes of controlling the on and off condition of the vacuumcleaner. Button 19 controls a switch 20 positioned thereunder. Top hingemember 12 also provides an integral housing portion 21 for purposes ofhousing a vacuum selector and vacuum bag fill indicator. The vacuumselector means is indicated generally by reference numeral 22, see FIG.2; and the bag fill indicator means is indicated generally by referencenumeral 23, see FIG. 7. The vacuum selector means is manually adjustedby virtue of a tab 24 protruding up through the integral portion 21.

Opposite lateral sides of shell 10 are provided with a pair of floorengaging wheels 25 for purposes of moving the vacuum cleaner along afloor or the like. An electric extension cord 26 is shown extending outof the vacuum cleaner adjacent the rear hinge. When not in use this cord26 can be coiled in stored position about integral cord storage hookportions 27 and 28 formed on the bottom plastic members 15 and 13,respectively.

A motor-blower unit indicated generally by reference numeral 29 issuspended off the cover 11 and is positioned inside the shell 10 inspaced relationship with respect thereto to define a generally annulardust collecting chamber 30 between the motor-blower unit 29 and the sidewalls of shell 10. A generally U-shaped vacuum cleaner bag 31 ispositioned in the dust collecting chamber 30. The bight portion of bag31 is releasably connected to the air inlet formed in member 15 in amanner described hereinafter.

As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the not shown outer endof hose 17 is adapted to have various floor and off-the-fioor vacuumcleaner tools removably connected thereto. These not shown tools areadapted to be removably stored inside the vacuum cleaner on fiber boardor hard cardboard tool storage panel 32 mounted within the cover 11. Thevacuum cleaner can be pulled along a fioor by tugging on the hose 17.For purposes of manually carrying the vacuum cleaner about, the handle16 is provided. The vacuum cleaner can also be positioned vertically onstairs or the like by virtue of the rear hinge. More particularly, thevacuum cleaner can be up ended in stable position by resting the same onthe rear cord hook portion 28 and the hinge portion between the two rearhinge members 12 and 13. When the vacuum cleaner is turned to onposition by stepping on the switch button 19 the motor-blower unit 29 isenergized and the resultant suction draws air, dust, and other debristhrough the hose 17 into the vacuum cleaner bag 31. The bag 31 retainsthe dust and debris therein but the incoming air is filteredtherethrough. The filtered air enters the motorblower unit 29 at itsbottom and passes therethrough and is ultimately exhausted at the upperend thereof through exhaust vents 33 formed in the top hinge member 12.

In view of the foregoing general description of the structure andoperation of the vacuum cleaner, the individual components thereof willnow be described in detail. Turning first to the bottom pan 10, thismember is generally circular in shape. The wheels 25 are recessed intowheel wells 34 depressed in opposite diametrical sides of the vacuumcleaner so as to make the Wheels 25 protrude as little as possible. Thebottom rear hinge member 13 is connected to the rear of shell by virtueof a plurality of screws or the like 35. The front end of pan 10 has anair inlet hole 36 formed therein. The bottom tubular member is mountedagainst the shell 10 and positioned in the hole 36 and provides a hoseconnector for purposes of removably connecting the hose 17 to thesuction side of the vacuum cleaner. The means incorporated in the member15 and at the inner end of hose 17 for accomplishing this is describedin detail in my co-pending and simultaneously filed patent applicationSer. No. 651,888 and therefor will not be described in great detailherein. However, the member 15 essentially comprises a single pieceunitary member having two main portions. The two main portions are theouter flange part 37 and an integral tubular portion 38. The flangeportion 37 rests against the exterior of shell 10 and is fixed theretoby means such as screws 37' so as to fixedly position the tubularportion 38 in the air inlet hole 36. See FIG. 5. The inner end of hose17 has a tubular member 39 fixed thereto. integrally formed in thetubular part 38 are a plurality of flexible latching fingers 40. Whenthe tube 39 is pushed in to the tube 38, the fingers 40 push a releasering 41 to the left and latch themselves on edge 42 of tubular member39. In order to release the hose the tubular member 39 is pushed inagain. This causes the latching fingers 40 to ride up on the ring 41 andgrip the same. Ring 41 operates in an annular groove 42 formed on tube39. Inasmuch as the fingers 40 are now gripping the ring 41, when hose17 is pulled out the fingers 40 pull the ring 41 to the right againstthe edge 42 and thereafter the latches 40 slide off the ring 41 and theouter end of tube 39 for complete release of the hose from the vacuumcleaner. In other words, in order to release hose 17 it is pushed in on.Inward movement of the tube 39 during release of the hose just farenough so that the latching fingers 40 slide up on and grip the ring 41but do not pass beyond the ring 41 to the left is limited or controlledby a shoulder 43 on tube 39 which engages shoulder means 44 formedwithin tube 38 just to the left of the outer hook shaped ends of thelatches 40, see FIG. 2. The latches are free to move towards and awayfrom the axis of tube 38 by virtue of cut-out grooves 45 formed in tube38 behind the latching fingers 40. The tube 39 and inner end of hose 17are connected together in a conventional manner. For example, the lefthand end of tube 39 is telescoped into the right hand end of hose 17 andthe telescoped ends of tube 39 and hose 17 are surrounded by a tightrubber collar 46 or the like which provides a hand grip for the hosewhen connecting and disconnecting it with respect to the vacuum cleaner.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, a wire formed latch element 47 is heldcaptive in position by being clamped between the shell 10 and bottomplastic member 15. The upper closed end of the Wire formed latch element47 extends into the front top plastic member 14 for latchingco-operation therewith in a manner to be described shortly. The oppositeends of wire 47 extend into the shell 10 through the hole 36 withingrooves 48 formed in the exterior of tube part 38. Near theirextremities the opposite ends of the wire latch 47 are provided withbent portions 47' to serve as latches for purposes of retaining thevacuum cleaner bag 31 positioned on the air inlet tube 38. Thus, thewire formed element 47 has two latches formed at the opposite endsthereof. The vacuum cleaner bag latch part thereof is designated byreference numeral 47', and the cover latch portion thereof is designatedby reference numeral 47". As heretofore mentioned, the vacuum cleanerbag is generally U-shaped and has its bight portion connected to the airinlet side of the vacuum cleaner. This is accomplished by forming acardboard reinforced aperture 49 in the vacuum cleaner bag. Thecardboard reinforcing panel for the air inlet hole 49 of bag 31 isindicated by reference numeral 50. The bag 31 is assembled in positionby moving the bag 31 towards the tube 38 so that tube 38 moves into hole49 until such time as the board 50 passes over the bag latches 47'formed on the latch wire 47. In this manner the air inlet of the vacuumcleaner bag is removably latched to the air inlet 38.

The latching co-operation of the wire formed element 47 with the member14 to retain the cover 11 releasably latch closed will now be described.The members 14 and 15 are both constructed from flexible moldedpolypropylene plastic. This means that the latch fingers 40 haveintegral not shown polypropylene hinge connections with the tubular part38. This same concept is also employed in the member 14. For example,the latch release button 18 has an integral polypropylene hinge portion51 with the main body of member 14. This concept of living hinges isalso employed in the vacuum selector means 22 and the bag fill indicatormeans 23 to be described hereinafter and reduces the necessity forseparate parts. The latch button 18 is free to hinge back and forthwithin a cut-out notch 52 formed in the forward or nose portion of themember 14. The member 14 is connected to the cover 11 by screws or thelike 53. The wire formed element 47 extends from in between the member15 and shell 10 up into between the member 14 and rim of cover 11. Apair of latch projections 54 are integrally formed inside member 14 justbeneath the button 18. When cover 11 is pushed down to latch closedposition, the upper end of latch 47" catches on the latch projections54. The upper extremity of latch 47 at this time is positioned behindthe lower tip of cover latch release button 18. In order to release thecover, button 18 is depressed with the thumb to move button 18 from thefull line position to the dotted line position illustrated in FIG. 5.This causes the latch 47" to move rearwardly off the latch projections54 whereby the cover is unlatched and can be raised freely. The button18 has a natural bias to the out position so that each time cover 11 isslammed closed the latch 47" will be positioned behind the lower end ofbutton 18 so that it is in readiness to move latch 47" rearwardly offthe latching projections 54 to open the cover.

The peripheral rim of cover 11 is surrounded by a circular sealing ringor gasket 55 which has a generally U-shaped cross section. This gasket55 also retains the tool storage board 32 in position. As is readilyseen from FIG. 3, tool storage board 32 has several specially shapednotches 56, 57 and 58 cut therein to facilitate stored mounting ofconventional vacuum cleaner tools inside the vacuum cleaner off thecover 11. Board 32 also has a notch 59 formed at the front end thereof.Notch 59 is adapted to receive the upper end of the vacuum cleaner bagboard 50. The lower end of vacuum cleaner board 50 is steadied byfitting in a detent 60 formed in the front bottom part of shell 10. Therear of board 32 has a circular cut-out 61 to clear the motor-blowerunit 29. The circular cutout 61 includes a generally rectangular portion62 for use in connection with the vacuum selector means 22 and the bagfill indicator means 23 in a manner to be described shortly.

The top and bottom rear hinge members 12 and 13 are connected togetheron a hinge shaft 63. The top hinge member 12 extends from the hingeshaft 63 to about the center of the cover 11 although it could extend asfar as and be integral with the other top member 13. The motorblowerunit 29 is suspended off or mounted on the underside of cover 11immediately beneath the top hinge member 12 by means such as mountingstuds 64. The bottom of power unit 29 is provided with a not shown airinlet covered by a filter element 65. The incoming air entering the unit29 is exhausted out of the upper end thereof. Cover 11 and top hingemember 12 have exhaust openings 66 and 33, respectively, formed thereinto exhaust the upper end of the motor-blower unit 29 to the atmosphere.It will be appreciated that the motorblower unit 29 is a closedsub-assembly, see for example the cylinder 67 therefor so that the airentering the lower end of unit 29 has to exit to the atmosphere throughthe openings 66 and 33. The exhaust openings 66 and 33 formed in thecover 11 and top hinge member 12 actually are offset with respect toeach other so as to diffuse and reduce the velocity of the air exhaustfrom the vacuum cleaner. The top hinge member 12 is fastened to thecover 11 by means such as not shown screws adapted to pass through thecover into integral bosses 68 formed at the rear part of hinge member 12and by clamping means for the switch 20 at the front part of hingemember 12. Switch 20 is mounted on the underside of cover 11 within themotor shell or housing 67. Switch 20 is clamped to cover 11 by a washer69 positioned on a threaded mounting shaft 70 of the switch assembly 20.The front end of top hinge member 12 is clamped to the threaded switchshaft 70 by a threaded washer 71. In other words, the threaded hollowshaft 70 extends through aligned openings formed in the cover 11 and tophinge member 12. The switch button 19 is positioned in member 70 andtherefore extends through the aligned openings therefor to the exteriortop side of member 12 so that it is readily accessible for footoperation. Successive stepping on the button 19 moves the switch 20 toon and off position. The electrical connector cord 26 is connected bysuitable electrical leads to the switch 2!) and unit 29 in a manner wellknown to those skilled in the art so that the switch 20 is the controlfor the vacuum cleaner.

The vacuum selector means 22 and the vacuum bag fill indicator means 23will now be described in connection with FIGS. 61l. The integralprotruding portion 21 at the rear of top hinge 12 is generallysemi-cylindrical and hollow. The movable parts for the means 22 and 23are mounted or housed in integral portion 21. A pivot shaft 72 extendsacross member 12 under the housing 21. Shaft 72 is fixed in position bymeans such as a pair of screws 68'. The portion of cover 11 just beneathmember 21 is depressed or indented and formed therein are two holes oropenings 73 and 74. The vacuum selector and bag fill indicator meanseach comprise molded plastic flexible polypropylene integral two elementsingle piece members. For the vacuum selector means 22 the integral twoelement comprises a relatively short semi-cylindrical hollow portion 75and a depending valve element 76. The two parts 75 and 76 are integrallyconnected by an integral hinge portion 77. The bag indicator means issimilar in that it comprises a still shorter hollow semi-cylindricalmember 78 and a depending valve element 79 with the parts 78 and 79being integrally connected by an integral polypropylene hinge portion80. The parts 75 and 78 have integral pivot portions 81 formed thereonso as to pivotally mount the parts 75 and 78 on the shaft 72 within therecess 21. The valve portion 76 of the vacuum selector means dependsinto the opening 73 formed in the cover 11 and the valve portion 79depends from the part 78 into the opening 74 formed in cover 11. Theopenings 73 and 74 are positioned above the cut-out 62 formed in thetool storage board 32.

The top of recess 21 has three openings 82, 83 and 84 formed therein.The opening 82 is for purposes of afford ing access to the tab 24 so asto manually operate the vacuum selector means. The opening 83 is awindow so as to give a visual indication of the vacuum conditionselected. The opening 84 is a window to give visual indication of thefill condition of the bag. The portion 21 is superposed by an escutcheon85 having suitable legends thereon to indicate the degree of vacuumselected. The right hand end of the semi-cylindrical portion 75, whenviewing FIG. 8, has a series of marks 86 thereon to register with thewindow opening 83 depending upon the position of the valve 76 withrespect to its opening 73. The semi-cylindrical member 78 also hassuitable legends thereon to register with the window 84 depending uponthe position of the valve element 79 with respect to the opening 74.Detent means is provided for fixing the selected positions of the vacuumselector. The detent means comprises an integrally formed pip 87interiorly of the portion 21 between the openings 82 and 83. This pipoperates within suitable recesses 88 formed in the part 75.

The operation of the vacuum selector means will be described first. Theinterface 89 between the two hinge elements 12 and 13 adjacent the hingeshaft 73 is not vacuum tight. Accordingly, atmospheric air can be admitted into the closed vacuum cleaner via the interface 89 dependingupon whether or not the opening 73 is closed by the vacuum selectorvalve element 76. In the position illustrated in FIG. 2 the opening 73is closed by valve element 76. In this condition of the device, themotor-blower unit 29 is pulling maximum suction through the vacuumcleaner hose 17. This is also the FIG. 8 position of the parts. However,in the position of the parts illustrated in FIG. 9 the valve element 76is in its full open position with respect to the opening 73. This meansthat a substantial amount of atmospheric air can go by the interface 89and through the openings 73 and 62 down into the shell 10 and thenceinto the bottom inlet air side of the motor-blower unit 29. Accordingly,a correspondingly smaller amount of suction pressure is created at thehose 17. The position corresponding to FIG. 2 is illustrated in FIG. 8of the drawings. In the position illustrated in FIG. 9 the indicatormark 86 would be positioned adjacent the legend Drapes which is thelightest vacuum selectable at the hose 17. Intermediate positions of thevalve element 76 with respect to the opening 73 would give intermediatevacuum selections at the hose 17. The position of valve element 76 ofcourse is controlled by manipulating the tab 24. Rocking the tab 24 in arearward direction closes the opening 73 in the manner illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 8. Rocking the tab 24 in a forward direction graduallywithdraws the valve element 76 from the opening 73 to its maximum openposition indicated in FIG. 9. V

The operation of the vacuum bag indicator means 23 will now bedescribed. When the hose 17 is not clogged and the bag 31 is not filled,the valve element 79 is open with respect to the Opening 74 by virtue ofa bias spring 90 moving the valve element 79 to open position. Spring 90surrounds the valve element 79, see FIG. 7. However, should the hose 17become clogged or the bag 31 become filled such a high vacuum is createdinside the shell so as to cause atmospheric pressure to overcome theforce of spring 90 and move the valve element 79 to its closed positionillustrated in FIG. 7. This, again, is accomplished by the atmosphericair which can enter the vacuum cleaner along the interface 89 when theopening 74 is open. When the hose or bag is clogged the incoming rush ofair through the opening 74, Or the resultant differential in airpressure on opposite sides of the cover 11, is so great as to causeclosure of opening 74 by the valve element 79 against the outward biasof valve element 79 by its spring 90.

It will now be seen that the invention provides an improved canistertype vacuum cleaner which is low cost and compact. By reason of themolded plastic parts of the hose connector, cover latch, cover hinge,and vacuum selector and bag fill indicator means the vacuum cleaner islow cost and uses a minimum of separate parts which are less apt to jamor malfunction. In addition, by virtue of the two top plastic members 12and 14 and mounting of the motor-blower unit 29 and its switch off cover11, assembly of the vacuum cleaner is facilitated since the cover withits mounted parts comprises the main working parts of the vacuum cleanerwhich is then merely attached to shell 10 at hinge shaft 63. Thisadvantageous assembly procedure includes the vacuum selector and bagfill indicator means 22 and 23, respectively, since these functions alsoare part of the cover sub-assembly.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of theinvention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changesand modifications may be made without departing from the invention, andtherefore, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all suchchanges and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. In a canister type vacuum cleaner comprising a bottom pan-shapedshell and a top cover closing said shell, said cover being hinged tosaid shell by a pair of bottom and top molded plastic hinge memberswhich are hinged together and connected to said shell and coverrespectively along one side of said cleaner, and another pair of bottomand top molded plastic members connected to said shell and coverrespectively along the opposite side of said cleaner, said anotherbottom member having an integral main air inlet to said cleaner and saidanother top member having an integral carrying handle for said cleaner;the improvement of a combination motor-blower unit inside said cleanermounted on the underside of said cover beneath said top hinge member,said unit depending from said cover into said shell to define an annularshaped vacuum chamber therein, said unit having an air inlet adjacentthe bottom thereof and an air outlet adjacent the top thereof, exhaustopenings formed in said cover and top hinge member for exhausting saidair outlet to the atmosphere, a control switch mounted on the undersideof said cover beneath said top hinge member, a pair of aligned openingsformed in said cover and top hinge member, a control switch buttonconnected to said control switch and extending up through said pair ofaligned openings for foot operation of said control switch, an air sealbetween the peripheral rims of said shell and cover to air seal saidcleaner closed, and means for varying the amount of suction created atsaid main air inlet by said unit, said means comprising an auxiliary airinlet opening formed in said cover beneath said top hinge member, andmanually operable selector means mounted in said top hinge member abovesaid auxiliary air inlet opening for selectively opening and closingsaid auxiliary air inlet opening to the atmosphere.

2. In a cleaner as in claim 1, a generally U-shaped vacuum cleaner bagpositioned in said vacuum chamber, the bight portion of said bag havingan air inlet opening connected to said main air inlet, and anotherauxiliary air inlet opening formed in said cover beneath said top hingemember, and signal means mounted in said top hinge member above saidanother auxiliary air inlet opening for indicating the fill condition ofsaid bag.

3. In a cleaner as in claim 2, a semi-cylindrical hollow protuberanceformed in said top hinge member, said manually operable selector meansand signal means each being pivotally mounted in said protuberance on acommon pivot shaft, said manually operable selector means and signalmeans each having a valve closure element pivotally connected theretofor engagement with their respective auxiliary air inlet openings, andwindow means formed in said protuberance for visually indicating thecondition of said selector means and signal means.

4. In a cleaner as in claim 3, wherein said selector means and signalmeans each comprises a polypropylene semicylindrical member mounted onsaid common shaft, said valve closure elements likewise beingconstructed of polypropylene and comprising integral formations on saidpolypropylene semi-cylinders, and said polypropylene valve closureelements and polypropylene semi-cylinders being pivotally connectedtogether by integral polypropylene hinge portions.

5. In a cleaner as in claim 4, wherein said another pair of moldedplastic members are each constructed from polypropylene, said bottomanother member comprising a tubular portion having an integral flangethereon, a hole formed in said shell and said tubular portion extendingthrough said hole and comprising said main air inlet, said flange beingfastened to said shell to fix said tubular portion in said hole,integral latch portions formed on said tubular portion for releasablylatching an air hose thereto, an integrally formed and flexible coverrelease button on said top another member, a wire formed latch elementmounted on said another bottom member, said wire formed latch elementhaving a portion thereof extending into said another top member forengagement therewith to latch said cover closed on said shell, saidrelease button being finger operated to move said wire formed latchelement portion to release said cover, and said wire formed latchelement having another portion thereof extending through said hole intosaid shell for releasably latching said vacuum cleaner bag on saidtubular portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,170,184 2/1965 Jepson et al.15327 X ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner,

. U.S. Cl. X.R, 15323; -471

